Retired Springbok captain John Smit had a pop at New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence on the team’s arrival back in South Africa.

The 2007 World Cup-winning captain told local media what he told the world media after the Boks’ defeat against Australia, which was that Lawrence took no notice of his complaints about illegal Wallabies play.

”Bryce is not difficult to communicate with, he just doesn’t seem to listen very well,’ said Smit. ‘The one positive (of retirement) is that I won’t ever have to be reffed by him again.’

Smit will play for two years with English club Saracens and retires from the international game having won a World Cup and lost in the quarter-finals in 2003 and 2011 against New Zealand and Australia respectively.

He said he was proud of the effort and acknowledged the warm reception the Boks got on arrival, when thousands greeted their home-coming.

Smit also said the future of South African rugby was bright and added he expected to see the core of the 2011 World Cup squad playing for the Boks in 2012.